


One Sweep Later

by Ruunkur



Series: Rise from Ash [7]
Category: Homestuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-10 19:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11698677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: What is it like to be the head of the Threshecutioner reform?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one is going to have multiple chapters, weeee!
> 
> I decided to break it up, instead of just having a mass of text, cause I don't know how long the subsection is going to be.

You pace back and forth in front of the large doors, your back hunched as you attempt listen to the proceedings. After nearly four hours of listening to back and forth arguing, Feferi had you displaced from the room when you started yelling to get trolls in line. You had decided it was unfair, so here you were, pacing in front of the doors. There were a couple of times where voices got loud enough that you could almost make out the words. You didn't like most of what you heard.

You stop when you see the door open from the corner of your, turning to face Eridan as he almost oozed through the door, an annoyed look flashing across his features.

"Well?" You demand, talking a half step towards him before Gamzee follows him out, placing a hand on Eridan's shoulder.

"Seems like the previous higher ups are still throwin' tantrums that some young upstarts are riding on Fef's coattails." Eridan scoffs and you roll your eyes. It had been the same argument every night for nearly half a sweep. You were sick and tired of listening to the arguing of the previous empire. It had only been a sweep and a half and several of them were doing the, "back in my day..." and it made you want to scream.

"I picked up that much from the arguing before I was kicked out. Was anything decided?" You demand, gaze darting between Eridan and Gamzee. Next time, you would make it worth your while to get kicked out. You hadn't even started in for the long haul before Feferi had given you her blood freezing look and ordered a soft out. You gnash your teeth at the thought, grumbling curses under your breath.

"Hey bro, grinding your teeth won't up and motherfucking help you." Gamzee says. "You just got to keep a cooler head."

"Whatever," you mutter, shoving your hands in your pockets. "So, was anything even decided?" You ask again.

"To make a long argument short, no, nothin' was decided," Eridan huffed, flaring his face fins thoughtfully. "They think it's a bad idea to have such young guppies takin' over. Fef doesn't care, you heard that. She's gonna do it her way or they're welcome to meet the end of her trident. There was other news-"

"Did....someone actually meet the end of her trident?" You ask cutting him off. You wish you had been able to see what went down. Gamzee draws the two of you into a secluded corner as the other high bloods began to shuffle out, several muttering and looking your way. You glare, throwing them a one finger salute and turning your back on them. Gamzee stares over your shoulder as one started to come towards you, the seadweller deciding that the troll behind him was much more interesting.

"Nearly," Eridan chuckles. "Last I checked, she was upset with the holes in the wall she made. Equius just got this capital castle built for her. All the lovely submerged areas that lead into the sea.... It took a lot of effort to put in."

"Those aren't going to cause issues at all later." You grunt. You could already pick out the weak points of the buildings and you hate every moment of it. Most of the trolls you were working with were mid to low bloods. Ones that wanted to get a look into royal life. You had a couple blue and purple bloods and one or two seadwellers to work with as threshecutioners. It wouldn't be enough, and there were only twenty one of you. You roll your shoulders back, listening to your spine crack as you stretch. Recruiting was a matter for another night.

"Do you want me to send you seadwellers for your threshecutioners?" Eridan inquires, watching you. "I have a few that are not going to make it in military lifestyle. They quite dislike purple bloods for various reasons."

"We're a subsect, a very specific one, of the military. They're going to end up working with subjugglators no matter where they go." You point out. "But please, send them over. I could use a couple more underwater defenses. Maybe you could work on your own military group.. Actually, a fraction between the two of us would take care of that problem."

"I'll get their files ready for you and inform them of the switch. They may look at is as a rise through ranks, what with gettin' ta protect the empress maybe." Eridan snorts at the thought, chewing on his scarf for a moment before he continued. "Not that they would be useful if they can't get along. I'll look into getting a group together to maintain underwater entry points. I'll make sure they can deal workin' with you and me both. Maybe get some water proof cameras down there? With the upheavals in the smaller cities... Things are going to start gettin' dicy soon."

"Yeah yeah, the older trolls are upset because of the reforms that Feferi is rolling out." You say with a sigh, beginning to pace once more in the small corner. "We have the space needed on Alternia... But what upheavals?" The news was consistent with the few reports you had been able to glance over that early evening before the meeting.

"Kanaya reported that there is only two mother grubs that survived the underground fires." Gamzee says, speaking up and training his eyes on you. "They caught the troll that set the fires. Nearly a fifth of the entire jadeblood population was culled in the fires as well."

"That leaves how many jade bloods?" You ask, concern for the mother grubs. It would be a small brood next season and that concerned you. It had been a small brood when Feferi took over as well.

"Twenty or so," Eridan counters. "Twenty two, if you include the two wrigglers that are jade blooded. That leaves about ten trolls to a mother grub..."

"And no confirmation on when the next one will be." You say with a whistle. "Why wasn't I informed earlier?"

"Because it just up and happened. Fangysis received the news during the meeting. Stopped all the arguing when she up and made the announcement. Maybe if Sollux sat near you during the meetings, he could up and keep you from blowing a gasket at the seadwellers. Then Fishsis would be having no reason to be all sorts of angry." Gamzee points out and you roll your eyes at the clown.

"You know how many trolls I've had quit over my blood color? I am tired of it being a joke and I'm not going to take it from some stuffy, arrogant seawads any longer." You fume, feeling a hand on your shoulder. You twist out of the grip, sickle at the ready as you meet Feferi's gaze, her laughter piercing your pan fog a moment later.

"Those stuffy, arrogant seawads won't be on my council much longer." Feferi says, dropping her hand and grinning at you. "I just fired them all."

You huff, stowing your sickle away. "Then why did you have to kick me out if you were going to do that?"

"Because they were going to continue to argue with you until they figured they had you beat. I know you Karcrab, the only person who could beat you in an argument is... I feel like there was someone.." She frowns like she was going to say a name, it slipping away just as quickly. "Did Gamzee and Eridan fill you in?"

"Yeah, about the fires in the brooding caverns?" You ask, crossing your arms and trying to shake the feeling that what she had forgotten was important. It would nag you for nights to come.

"And the fighting in the smaller cities," Feferi says. "Eridan is going to dispatch five units. Are there any of your threshecutioners that are ready? I would like one with each unit if possible."

"There's four that I would send. I would make five. That would leave....sixteen behind to act as guards for the castle." You admit. "Not that I wouldn't be sending who I consider my second in charge with..."

"So few?" Feferi frowns. "I thought there were more?"

"Yeah, so few." you say. "Eridan and I were discussing sending military personnel to the threshecutioners that he felt would fit better with me. They would take anywhere from three perigee to half a sweep to train, depending on their reluctance to rely on others. We're sorely lacking in the 'Who wants to fight with a mutant?' department. And even then, those that he sends my way may not be cut out at all. And then there's the added working of the underwater passageways. A military unit would have to be trained specifically to guard them. We'll iron out the details between us though."

"We could always conscript trolls to join the threshecutioners." Eridan suggests idly, glancing between you two.

"No," Feferi says, crossing her arms and glaring at Eridan. He glares back and you grit your teeth. One of these days, one was going to snap and you'd be even more pissed that you broke a tooth over the fish trolls.

"Hey, fishwads," you say, waving your hands between their eyes and breaking the contact.

They both glance at you, Feferi frowning but Eridan heaving a sigh. "Why not?" He asks.

"If they don't want to join the threshecutioners on their own, they aren't worth my time." You snap and take a breath, pushing the anger down. "The threshecutioners have to be loyal to a fault. We want to be able to step in and just stop fights. If we conscript trolls to join, they aren't going to want to drag along the message of peace among each other. We have to be able to step between a bunch of fighting trolls and seep out peace and all that shit. You've seen me do it. I'll take trolls that are already in a military position, but they have already agreed to serve. It's different than being in the military and serving there."

"I have maybe five that could do that." Eridan says after a moment, closing his eyes in thought. "They have a great background, but aren't fit for military life. A more...personal hand with them is better."

"Send the files over, I'll look at them before I sleep this morning." You say, rubbing at your temples. It was going to be a long night. "I do have several more potential recruits I'm meeting with later this week as well."

"I'll be happy to take the four and send a fifth unit with Eridan," Feferi says with a grin and you shoot a glare at her.

"No," you say, voice firm. "Whatever hate game you want to play, cannot interfere with duty Feferi. And you sending him to clean up some small messes while he's working on getting the military under his lead is going to only cause more upheaval. There will be trolls that think they can step into position. He can't be doing that until he has a second in command in place. Same with most of our positions. We need to have a strong backing if we want to continue."

Gamzee smiles, hands in his pockets as he listens to the conversation. He leans against the wall, Eridan nodding along to your words.

"Fine, you're right..." Feferi huffs, her face fins flaring in thought. "I would still like the groups sent out tomorrow evening. Eridan has the town names."

"Very well," you say. "I take it one is near the brooding caverns?"

"Yes, Kanaya will be joining that group. Do make sure to send your best threshecutioner with her group." Feferi says, her eyes softening as she is reminded of her matesprit before she sweeps off, the weighted fabric of her dress nearly hitting Eridan as he takes a step back.

"I can't stop delaying her sending you on these missions," you comment after a moment, turning to face your ashen mate. "Eventually the military is going to be in good enough shape and you are going to have a second in command that can step into your shoes."

"Yes, but we're only nine and a half sweeps." Eridan sniffs and Gamzee glances at him, concern softening his face. "I don't wanna die that soon. We knew it was a suicide mission to fight the Condesce. Anything afterwards is just...a gift, I guess. I want to live to at least see fifty sweeps."

"We're not going to die." You say, gritting your teeth. "I'll be in my office. If you see Sollux, can you send him my way? Preferably without any bruising from a quick hatedate and with the files that you need to give me." You tell Eridan, pinning him with a vibrant red eyed stare before you turn and stalk off, almost wishing you had the latest cloak Kanaya had made you. That had made its way into a water channel on accident, on pure accident that time, and you miss the weighted bottom of the cloak.

***

It's nearing four in the morning when you hear a knock at your office door. "Come in," you sigh, pushing the papers on your desk into neat piles and looking up as Sollux walks in, framed briefly by the outside light. He flips on the switch by the door and you squint your eyes. He snickers, setting the files in front of you.

"Are you going to your 'coon this morning?" He inquires, glancing around the messy office block.

You have the sun curtains drawn, and if it weren't for the clock on the wall, you would have lost track of time. "Maybe?" You answer back and you feel exhausted as you speak. You hadn't gotten sleep in nearly a week and that meeting had set you on edge for the night, too wound up to be able to properly relax.

Sollux snorts, resting a hand on your shoulder and looking into your eyes. "Being exhausted isn't going to help anyone." He says, voice soft and soothing.

"Fuck, I know, but.... Fuck, I'm trying to-" You begin, reaching out to the paperwork Sollux had brought you.

"Shoosh," Sollux cuts you off, placing a hand on the files before you could grab them. He pulls himself up on the desk, crossing his arms and watching you. "Give me one reason why I don't dump these files? You'll work yourself to death if we let you."

"Because I need them," you snap, frustration growing as you take in your pain in the ass moirail. "If I don't-"

"If you don't...what? Work yourself to death? If you don't get rest? If you work yourself to death, Feferi will be upset with herself. She'll take it out on Eridan. Gamzee will get pissed and flip out at Feferi, and.... You're dead, so it wouldn't matter in that situation. Do you think you took on too much by being their auspistice?" Sollux asks. "I've seen the way Feferi can taunt Eridan. She does have a bit of her ancestor after all. Who knew,"

"No," you sigh, folding your arms up on Sollux's lap before nestling your head down in them. "I know I didn't take on too much. I can see the path ahead of me. There is an end to this, where trolls stop second guessing me because of my blood color. Most of the trolls I speak to actually like the idea of the threshecutioners, they just don't want someone who's so young, so inexperienced, or, in a very special case, 'actually has a spot on the hemospectrum and deserves to live'. That troll got their ass knocked out and drug out of the castle for that comment." You feel Sollux rest his hands on your hair before he begins to massage your head, his fingers working through the knots in your hair.

"Tell Ff that you don't want to do the job." Sollux suggests.

"The sad thing is I do want to do it." You grumble, feeling the words begin to bubble out of you. "I want to prove all these hemocaste loving assholes that I am just as good as any of them, if not better despite the shit color that runs through my blood. Look at what happened to my ancestor, your ancestor, for daring to even begin dream that they could have a more peaceful Alternia. We get to bring that together and we aren't going to end up slowly dying before someone puts us out of or misery or tied to a ship as a battery unless Feferi gets really fucking bored of her position as a peaceful empress. We get the chance to build a new Alternia, where everyone gets to be happy. And look what happens, rioting, fires in the brooding caverns-"

"Fires in the brooding cavern?" Sollux demands, his hands leaving your head for a brief moment. You look up to see his wide eyed stare before you bury your head in between your arms and his lap. You're tired and the light is hurting your head.

"Yeah," you mumble. "They're sending out five teams and I have to supply threshecutioners, one for each team. Only, I have only four I'm confident would want to come back. And that's out of twenty trolls I'm working with. We're supposed to be the best line of defense, followed by the military and I'm scraping the bottom of the... You know what, I'm not finishing that sentence, but you get the idea? I'm trying to build a foundation that's going to rot before I get a chance to make it strong." Your voice is muffled but you can feel Sollux go back to massaging your head as you speak. You feel one hand rub the base of your horn and you shiver, feeling the calming sensation flood your body.

"You're taking the rest of tonight off and getting some actual sleep." Sollux says, leaning down and kissing the back of your head. "And taking a shower tonight. Geez KK, you reek."

"Thanks," you mutter. "I spilled my dinner on me an hour ago."

"I also want to meet your threshecutioners in training tomorrow, as soon as we get a chance." Sollux decides and you pull away from him, meeting his gaze.

"Why?" You ask.

"I want to see what they're capable of." He grins. "I think they're more capable than you give them credit for. You're close to them KK, maybe too close to look at the full situation and be a good assessor of their skills. I'll even sit through a movie or two of your shitty selection tomorrow afterwards."

"Fine," you say and pick up your palmhusk, sending out the message for your threshecutioners to meet tomorrow evening right after first meal. Anyone running late would have to have a good reason for not being early. You set the phone aside, Sollux catching your hands as he got off the desk and dragged you out of your officeblock and to your private block, forcing you into bathing and sleeping for the rest of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how long this section is going to be.

You stand in the Threshecutioner training room, watching those gathered before you. You had been at it nearly all night and you can tell that your threshecutioners were getting tired. There hadn't been time to stop for food. But you and Sollux had gone back and forth with each in the group and you and he are both convinced that they are truly prepared for what would come next. Even with being pressed all night, the group of twenty are uniform, back straight, eyes forward. You take one last curious walk around them before clearing your throat, planting your body where all of them can see you.

"Are you ready to serve?" You ask voice ringing out in the room and echoing back to you. It's strange to think that two sweeps ago, you were planning on dying while fighting the Condesce and becoming paint for a subjugglator. Now, you were leading a group of trolls to fight for their empress and serve their land.

You feel your moirail's eyes on you and you decide to pretend he wasn't there. You listen to the twenty 'yes's' come back to you and you nod. Sollux had been right, they were more ready than you gave them credit for. "The empress has a need for five of you to join five hand selected units by The Magician. I need five of you to travel with these five units to help quell rebellions rising among the trolls. Do I have any volunteers?"

You watch as four step forward, surprised by who did step forward. You kept your face passive, nodding in agreement all the same. Your gaze flicks over the other sixteen before Sollux walks over. "Her," he says, nodding at a young brown blood. He had watched the whole thing in interest, even jumping in to give them someone different to fight against. And each had exceeded well above and beyond your expectations. It had made you happy.

"What do you say Merc?" You ask, watching her with interest. She's only eleven sweeps old, but you have seen fire in her eyes when you sparred with her that night and nights before. She's quiet among the others but she nods, stepping forward with a small smile.

"The rest of you are dismissed for the night. You five, please stay." You call.

The others nod and offer you a salute before heading off, Sollux looking over the collected five curiously. "May I have your names?" He asks. "I didn't have time to ask earlier,"

"Merceful," the brown said with a small nod of her head. "Most call me Merc,"

"Lichlenn," the olive said, running his tongue over his teeth. He liked to fight hand to hand, and reminded you of Nepeta. He was fourteen sweeps old and glad to be back on solid land once more.

"Deadfoot," the blue blood said with a nod. "On account I have no nerve endings in one of my feet." He grins happily, tapping the foot against the floor. He's twenty four sweeps and quite pleasant to deal with.

"Windwept," the violet blood is thirty sweeps and had seemed the least likely to stick around. She was often outspoken and loved to make jokes at others expense. She worked well with Merc and you were surprised by that development. From what you had heard, her moirail had been culled when they were ten sweeps old and she had harbored a hate for the Condesce since then.

"Sealfurs," the teal says, running a hand over their arm thoughtfully. Sealfurs was the oddest to you personally. He was always moving, even when he was still. Being twelve sweeps, he had known Lichlenn on the fleet and they had formed an odd sorts of black relationship you sometimes couldn't keep straight. They had promised it wouldn't interfere with their work with the threshecutioners and they had held to that promise.

"You all were up on the fleet when Condy fell." Sollux says with a grin. He had read through the files of your subordinates while you were working on which ones would be the best to pick for the teams. You hadn't been able to decide.

"Really, with the stupid name?" You ask. "Condy is too close to candy. Everyone, this is my moirail, the Cryptonic. Feel free to laugh at his dumb ass jokes and remember that they aren't truly funny. Thank you for volunteering. It makes this a lot less of a pain."

"What will we be doing?" Lichlenn asks, eyes gleaming as he looks at you. He tips his head to the side and you are reminded of a way a lusus might question a wriggler as he does so. It makes you think of crabdad and you push the thought aside.

"Like I said, you will each be going with a unit of military personnel. It's to put out several small rebellions that have begun to crop up in the recent perigee. This is directly from the empress herself." You say, clearing your throat and gesturing for them to sit. "Hey, Cypt, why don't you do something actually useful and order us food or something?" You suggest to Sollux.

"Not even a please?" Sollux asks. "This is the last time I let you work when you obviously need to be kept in your block due to a poor attitude." His grin grows wider when he hears the snickers of the five threshecutioners that had stayed behind.

"Please order us food," you suggest.

"Fine," Sollux pulls out his phone, placing an order to the kitchens and tucking it back into his pocket. "Not that hard, really."

"You're the only one I know that will just place a text order to the kitchen." You shoot back.

"Are you sure you two are moirails?" Windwept asked with a giggle.

"Yes, trust me. He's not always trying to get me to dress better and wear my color proudly." you say at the same time as Sollux says,

"He doesn't have a stupid accent that makes me want to smack him."

"Proceeding forth with this conversation in such a manner will not benefit anyone," Sealfurs points out. "Now, will you describe to us in detail what we will be expecting? Who is going to go where?"

"Lichlenn will be going with the unit to the brooding caves," you decide on the fly. You had been given a list of the five places your threshecutioners were heading to. Lichlenn was the best fighter, loyal to a near fault and you felt the most confident in sending him with Kanaya. "You will be escorting the Empress's matesprit to the brooding caves and surveying the damage dealt there. Sealfurs, you will be joining the unit to Seltworth, the city closest to the brooding caverns. Windwept, you will be joining a smaller group off to Certrel, that's the second worst situation at the moment. They want to move in quietly and swiftly. You'll blend in quite well with the seadwellers that collect there."

"Great, more stuffed up seawads I getta deal with," Windwept sighs. "My lusus couldn't keep me under the fucking sea, those wads ain't gonna drag me back under either."

"No, you won't have to go back down." You promise, having heard of Windwept's fear of the great seas. It had been one of the reasons she joined the threshecutioners over the main military. "But, you would be a better fit than the clean cut that the Magician probably has going."

"He wouldn't know clean cut if it hit him in the face," Sollux snickers. "The Magician wants to look impressive, but his military knows how to fight dirty."

"Is that why-" You begin and Merc clears her throat with a chuckle.

"Us other two?" She prods.

"Merc, Belfort is your destination." You say, back on track. "I know the Inkwell is looking to make that his home town, so there will be a high population of subjugglators."

"And me?" Deadfoot asks, eyes tracking the conversation with an attentive look you hadn't seen him wear before.

"To Melfrost," you say, grinning. "It's going to be cold there this time of year. I hear the lake freezes over and trolls go skating on top of it."

"Great," Deadfoot sighs.

"Remember-" you begin.

"Defuse any situation that we can as peacefully as we can." Windwept grins.

"And if we have to spill blood, make sure it's as quick and painless as possible." Merc chirps in and the two share a grin as you roll your eyes. They were a good group. Sollux gets up to let in the troll that brought the food, Feferi pulling the plates away from him and joining you on the ground. You watch your threshecutioners scramble into a standing bow as she sets the food down, Kanaya joining with another tray.

"I saw what you did to the cloak Mediator. I am not amused that you keep destroying my hard work." Kanaya comments as she follows Feferi, pinning a glare on you.

"That one wasn't actually his fault." Sollux cuts in.

"I did rescue it when I had the chance." Feferi adds and the threshecutioners stare at you wide eyed as you wave for them to sit back down.

"Then who's fault was it?" Kanaya inquired. "I spent a lot of time making it near perfect and the salt water has absolutely destroyed it. Do you know what it will take to repair it?"

"It got caught in a doorway." You protest, knowing that they have gone over this more than once in the last three nights. You did feel bad about it. The door had opened just as you took off the cloak to try and pull it. Your grip had slipped and it sunk too deep for you to willingly retrieve in the water.

"Likely story," Kanaya folds her hands in her lap, turning to look at the other trolls.

"No Caregiver, it was my fault, I swear. I'll make sure you have the materials to make him a new one. I apologize," Feferi says, leaning over and kissing her matesprit on the cheek.

"Well, I suppose..." Kanaya sighs and flashes you a look. "If you lose or destroy this one, I'm going to sew the next one into your skin."

"Let's avoid that," you say quickly, Feferi clearing her throat to catch everyone's attention.

"The Mediator says that you're the best he has to offer of his trainees. I am looking forward to sea how swell you work with The Magician's military units in the towns. Has the Mediator given you your assignments? Please, sit, don't stand and gawk at me just because I'm the glubbing empress. You all are sweeps older than me. Have some food,"

"Upon the end of tonight, I would like to promote all twenty of my threshecutioner trainees into full fledged threshecutioners." You say, taking the others by surprise.

"Very well, that can happen." Feferi grins, her teeth sharp. "Can they take on their own trainees?"

"Yes," you say with a nod.

"Very well!" Feferi says with a clap of her hands.

You watch the trolls glance at each other before looking at you. All five of them have protests but you wave them down one by one. They try to protect again as Feferi passes out food, her own gaze making them back down. They accept the food, at a loss for words. Feferi leans back, making sure everyone else had food before taking any herself.

"Sorry, Empress ma'am, it's just not everyday that we get ta meet the empress." Windwept said with a slight reverence in her voice. "We all were up on the fleet when you overthrew Her Imperial Condescension. And... We all thought we would have another sweep at least for the threshecutioner training..."

"It was a on the spot decision," you let them know.

"That name's so long for such a cruel troll." Feferi says. "Condy had her ways aboat her, I won't lie. But I'm not about to swim in the same stream. Shell, the Mediator and the Cryptonic have been my fronds since before we made the plans to overthrow Condy. Please, speak your pans clearly. I want to know what my subjects think."

"Hey FF, have you heard from The Wanderer lately?" Sollux asks and you roll your eyes.

"Still pining over her?" You ask, digging into a plate of food. Your group glanced at each other before they also began to eat, Sollux fashing you a grin before he levitated your food away. "I swear, you give me back that right now-" You say, jumping up and trying to grab the plate.

"Cryptonic, I believe that is my job you're doing. Only in forms of making him a better troll of course," Kanaya says with a smirk.

"I don't need you budging in either Caregiver," you snap.

"Wrigglers," Feferi sighs, eating her food and keeping her attention on your threshecutioners. "But for reel, what's your thoughts on the empire reform?" She asks as you knock the plate down, Sollux letting it fall on the floor with a laugh. You jump at him, Merc muffling her laughter as you tackle your moirail for spilling your food. He pushes you off easily, holding you back with his psionics.

"If you two don't knock it out, I"m sending you both home," Feferi warns and Sollux lets his powers fade.

"It was only a little bit of fun," he grins, cleaning up the spilled plate of food for you.

"I think it's a good idea," Windwept says, happy to interrupt. She leans forward, studying Feferi. You turn your attention back to the group, judging their reactions. "It gives those of us who don't want to be deep sea divers the chance to do something other than spend sweeps under the seas." She shudders and you sit back down, nudging Sollux over and grabbing another plate of food.

"Why do you hate the sea?" Feferi asks, shifting in her spot on the floor and getting comfortable.

"When I was a wriggler, my lusus....never took me to the sea." Windwept admit. "And when he did, I nearly drown. I know, a seadweller that couldn't use their gills. It was a joke. But I love the feel of earth under my feet. The solid, never changing ground." She presses a hand to the floor and Feferi nods. "When I was first in the sea, I was...five sweeps? And trying to get my gills to work, I saw a monster that I can't... It was all tentacles and beak. It was terrible and in the moment it saw me, I felt everything fade into darkness. I woke up, back on land. Found out that my gills were underdeveloped. Had a moirail that helped me learn how to swim. He was later culled for being blind. But that monster... Every time I look at large bodies of water, I can picture it in my mind."

"Gl'bgolyb," Feferi breathes, eyes wide. "Was it bigger than any building you had ever seen?"

"About the size of a city, though I only saw it very briefly though. Pure white, but I can't imagine that thing being a lusus." Windwept admitted.

"What's a gl'bgolyb?" Lichlenn asks.

"My...lusus," Feferi says after a moment. "She was culled before my ascension to the throne. Otherwise there....politics among fuchsia bloods were complicated. If there were two adult fuchsia bloods, we would have to fight and one would cull the other or Gl'bgolyb would speak the vast glub and cull every troll, violent and under. And what are the rest of your stories?"

You can hear the pain in her voice as she speaks of her lusus. You know how it had hurt her for having to bring about the death of the monster lusus.

"I was a kitchen cook," Merc says with a wave. There are scars on her arms, leading all the way up to the short sleeves of her uniform, jackets having been taken off to eat. "It was the only useful thing I could do when I came of age and I convinced the ship that their cook was poisoning them. Maybe with undercooked food, but he ended up being culled and I got put into his position."

"I was supposed to be learning how to be general military. Often snuck off and joined this loser raiding the kitchens on the ship we were on." Lichlen says, jabbing Sealfurs with his finger.

"This loser nearly got himself culled because he got caught in the kitchen. Told the guard that he was on official subjugglator business and we both ended up getting drug to one of their events. It was terrible." Sealfurs sighs. "I was supposed to be training as well, but I had no interest in it. Being one of a thousand military trolls is just so boring. I liked hunting and skinning furs off lusii when I was on Alternia. Lot more fun."

"I was a mechanic and paid fighter," Deadfoot says with a wave. "My building skills were pretty bad, but I made a good fighter in the ring. I wanted to join the ranks of proud executioners before they got disassembled three sweeps after I was old enough to join. As for my name, I put an arrow through my foot when I was younger, have no sense of feeling in it."

"Were any of you good at your job?" You ask, having finished your food while they spoke.

"Hey, I was." Merc said with a sniff. "Remind me to not make you a wriggling day cake."

"I am sure that the Mediator does not require the extra sugar." Kanaya says, looking up from her sewing.

"A bunch of misfishes," Feferi giggles, finishing her food before growing serious. "I think Karkrab did a wonderfall job of choosing you. And I am looking forward to all of you training your own threshecutioners. You will defer to The Mediator all the same, but upon completing your missions, I want each of you to be able to train a troll."

"They volunteered for the missions." You break in.

"You should see the rest of the group," Lichlenn grins. "I think what the Mediator is doing is going to take us far. I remember hearing 'bout the threshecutioners when I was a wriggler. They were badass fighters. First always on a new planet. But to give it a new meaning, that's just absolutely amazing. I am proud to be part of an empire that doesn't cull first, then ask questions."

"We are apart of something amazing," Windwept says happily, her hair pulled back. There are scars that decorate her neck and you wonder, idly, what she had done to deserve them.

"Is that how you all feel?" Kanaya inquires, watching them. "Are you happy for that?"

"Yes," came the five responses and you smile.

"You'll be leaving on your assignments tomorrow. This is the Caregiver. Forgive me for not introducing her sooner." Feferi says, gesturing to Kanaya. "Who is heading into the brooding caverns and Seltworth?"

"Lichlenn and Sealfurs," you say. "Lichlenn will be going with The Caregiver's unit. Sealfurs will be helping in Seltworth."

"It's my pleasure," Lichlenn says with a small bow to the Caregiver from his sitting position.

"What is your connection to Sealfurs?" Kanaya asks, voice polite.

"Kismesis," Sealfurs says. "We made a promise to The Mediator that it will not interfere with our work as threshecutioners."

"They have held up that promise very well." You interject and meet Feferi's gaze. "If they do not, one will have to drop the title."

"Very good," Feferi says. "I say you get plenty of rest this morning. You are dismissed,"

You watch them as they put aside their dirty and empty plates, bidding them good morning as they head out. "What do you think?" You ask Feferi once the last one leaves.

"They're so young," Feferi sighs.

"They're older than us dear," Kanaya points out.

"Merc is the youngest at eleven sweeps." You say. "We're only nine and a half. We're still not even technically adults yet."

"I know," Feferi sighs, rolling a small ball across the floor. "You'll be safe, right Kanaya?"

"Lichlenn has a nose for caves. He'll be the best threshecutioner to take into the brooding caverns." You clear your throat, getting up and stepping over Sollux towards the door.

"Yes, I will." Kanaya promises, taking Feferi's hands and leaning across and kissing her. You wrinkle your nose, Sollux following you out of the room once you both bid good bye to the pair.

"So, you still flushing hard for Aradia?" You ask, nudging Sollux as you walk to your block.

"Yeah," Sollux sighs. "I guess I could tell her but..."

"Why not?" You ask. "It's not like you to hesitate."

"What if she says no?" Sollux asks and you shrug, unsure of what to answer while you were walking.

"Then we throw you a pity party and let you sulk. But, upon Kanaya's return, Feferi is going to get us all together. Ask her then." You suggest and he nods.

"I suppose,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part three is taking a bit longer than expected, due to the fact I've scrapped three different versions and am now writing some of it from an OC troll pov. Please bare with me.
> 
> Also, moving to WA in about...seven days, holy shit, i have so much i need to do in that time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There should be one more part to this fanfic mini-series.
> 
> I think I said that last chapter too.
> 
> It was not my original intention to have an OC be given such a large section of their own. I just could not get through this chapter otherwise. I have about three different drafts that I went through on this one. And the next part is quickly becoming just as problematic. But I do plan on finishing up this section this week.
> 
> I have all week that I'm not working, seeing as I have left my job while I am preparing to move to WA. I do plan on getting a couple of actual one shots. And will focus on some of the human side too.
> 
> I had to make an actual timeline to keep track of all of these. It's been a lot of fun. I wish i had just as much dedication for my own Original stories as I do this fanfic. But I think that comes from a lot of background already being set up.
> 
> Anywho, I'm rambling. You all enjoy! If you want to send me a message, my tumblr is ruunkur as well.

"Windwept, reporting in,"

You glance up as your video feed comes to life, Sollux giving you a nod. He sits in the chair next to you, having spent the last two hours setting up the secure video feed per Windwept's requests. It had been an odd request but now you see why she wanted something secure. She was sitting in a dingy, small room, dark violet circles under her eyes.

"Report in," you say, relief crossing across your face. Windwept was the only one that had not returned within three perigee and it was nearing half a sweep since you last heard from her. Even the strange message you had received had felt like a beacon of hope.

"Certrel is a fucking dump of a place." She sniffs and you take a good look at the grainey video. It was the best that could be done, but you appreciated every single second of it. "Three of the five military trolls the Magician sent are dead. One is sick, having been poisoned, and one fucking fled two perigees ago. I'm doing what I can for the sick one, but I don't think there is going to be much I can do for her. I'm maintaining a low profile as a deckhand out of luck but..."

"What the hell happened?" You ask, disbelief crossing your features. You had looked over the situation in Certrel several times since the others returned. It had meant to only be three or four trolls making plans against the empress. You hadn't expected three trolls to be dead, one sick, and one fleeing.

"Fuck, I need backup. Certrel is a two day ship ride from the capital. I.. Please Mediator? Send help as soon as you can. I have to get off the terminal soon. It's in a private area that I had to pay for in order to use. I need to get back to Tidewave, I don't even know if she'll even make it another two days." Windwept asks, her voice distorted and you wonder what had happened. "She may pull through, being the stubborn asshole that she is..."

"I'll get backup there as soon as possible. Where do I find you?" You ask, jaw set. Nothing would stop you from going yourself, not this time.

"The Broken Fang inn. I'm out on the main dock most nights though." Windwept states. "Got to go,"

The video clicks off and you turn to look at Sollux before bolting out of your chair. You skid to a halt as the door slams shut, Sollux shaking his head behind you. The door is crackling with his psionics. You turn on your heel, glaring at him. 

"What's that about?" You demand, feeling the fury build up in your chest.

"Who are you going to send?" He asks, leveling his red and blue eyes at you. His voice is steadier than it had been recently and you wonder, somewhere in the back of your mind, if he was coming out of the depressive swing he'd been in lately.

"I-" You began, thoughts racing. "Myself,"

"And?" He presses, forcing you to sit down. You hadn't even realized you two were moving until your knees hit the back of the chair you had only just moments before jumped out of. He's standing in front of you, his hands on your shoulders, keeping you down. His voice is calming, strong, and making your thoughts cloudy.

"I don't know," you snap, shaking your head to shake off the haze of doubt. "The longer I sit here, the more in trouble Windwept is going to be in! I have to go Sollux."

"Are you worried about her as a friend?" Sollux asks and you realize he is rationalizing for you. You nod, taking a moment to breathe in and out, counting the breaths carefully.

"And as a commander whose underling has been missing for half a sweep Sollux." You say, patience wearing thin even with the breath counts.

"At least three others are going with you." Sollux says, his voice oddly blank. "Myself included. We'll see if my useless sack of a kismesis can get us to Certrel. With his ship, he can get us there in a day and a half, maybe a day."

"Don't you have a flushed date with Aradia tonight?" You ask, watching as Sollux nods glumly. It was a harsh jab and you know he had been looking for any reason to put it off. "Are you doing this to get out of it?"

"No...Maybe...I don't know... But as you said, you hadn't heard from your subordinate in a half sweep. I am not going to let you go out on your own by the way. So, I will go with you. And we will take others with us that can handle the situation. How long has it been since this little rebellion started?" Sollux demands and you shake your head, not sure what else to say.

"It started small, and we were sent half a sweep ago." You say, standing up when he removed his hands from your shoulders and striding out of your block with more purpose than you did before. You knew exactly where you would find Feferi and Eridan. Feferi had begun to set up a court so she could take in as many issues with trolls as she could. It wasn't often, but you had a feeling she was going to try and make it more often with each passing sweep. Right now, they had once a week to bring matters to the empress's attention that they felt worth sharing.

Most trolls came just to get a look at the empress.

It takes nearly twenty minutes to get to the court block. By the end of it, you're cursing the extensive layout Feferi pressed that she just had to have. The respite blocks were too far in case of emergencies. You file this piece of information as you and Sollux make your way to the front of the short line outside the court block doors. the teal blood at the door opens their mouth to protest you cutting in line before they see just who was walking forward.

"Mediator," Sealfurs said with a nod and a small salute. "The Empress is currently in court..."

"This is urgent," you say, an edge in your voice. "Let me in Sealfurs,"

Sealfurs nods, deciding it would be better than arguing. He opens the door and waves you in. You hear the last of the sentence of the troll that had just been speaking as you stride in, not caring the looks some threw your way. Most were seadweller and a smattering of blue bloods that thought you and Sollux had no right to be there. You still weren't forthcoming about your blood color, the others assuming you were a simple maroon blood.

"What is the meaning-" Feferi begins and you shake your head.

"Sorry to disturb your court, Empress. If the matter weren't urgent, I would not be here, however I have received word from my threshecutioner in Certrel. May we speak privately?" You despised the formal court speak, but you can see Eridan, Feferi, and Aradia all turning their gaze to you curiously. The troll that had been speaking stepped to the side, Feferi considering your words for only a moment longer.

"Court will break for the evening," Feferi commanded, banging her ceremonial trident against the floor. From the corner of your eye, you could depict the glint of her 2x3 trident just out of view of the trolls that would come to petition their dismays to the empress herself. Even for the practice being only a sweep old, it had taken off with a surprising gusto.

The trolls offer Feferi a bow before scurrying out of court, you walking over to Feferi. You feel Sollux follow, but you push the thought out of your mind for the moment.

"What was that about hearin' from Certrel?" Eridan asks, taking your attention before Feferi could talk.

"Windwept got in touch. Three of your trolls are dead, one absconded, and Tidewave was poisoned and is currently sick, possibly dying. We need to get backup there, and quickly." You stress, turning to look at Feferi. "I am taking several of my threshecutioners, myself, and Sollux. We need a group that can move quickly and blend in with the local-"

"I'm going," Feferi says.

"Is that wise?" Eridan retorts.

"Don't start fighting." You growl, not willing to put up with it right then.

"If Feferi goes, I go." Aradia states.

"Who will watch this place?" Sollux asks and Feferi glances at those of you gathered.

"Equius and Gamzee can handle security for at least a perigee. Terezi can take over court if she so fishes. If not, it will be put on hold until this matter at Certrel is dealt with. If it means that we have to fight, so be it. I want to put fish rebellions down, and quickly. If what Windwept reports is true, then there has already been military deaths trying to deal with it. So, we deal with it the only way we know how. If we must cull every adult troll in the port, I will do so. Shell, I will burn it to the ground to route out the rebellion if so needed. Eridan, prepare to have a ship ready to set sail immediately. I want two ships to follow five nights after we leave. I want to see what we can do on the ground before we wipe the town out." Feferi says and there's a glint in her eyes that you know means nothing will change her mind.

The last time you had seen her give this look, you had been six sweeps and all meeting for the first time. That was when she revealed her plot that, at the age of eight sweeps with still two sweeps left to go before any of you were considered full adults, she would sneak onto the main ship during the great ascension and face the Condesce herself. All of you had offered to join her and you began your planning.

***

You lean back in the chair you had claimed, playing with the bracelet on your wrist before leaving the main block of the inn. You head back up the narrow stairs, finding the way easily in the dim light to the block you rented. Tidewave is spread out on a couch, her groans letting you know she was live still.

Your name is The Windwept and you were sick of the position you had been given at the time being. You glance up when you see Tidewave sit up and you walk over, pressing a hand to her shoulder. "If you sit up, you'll just get sick." Your voice is dull. It had been hard helping the troll that culled your moirail so many sweeps ago.

"I 'ate you," Tidewave mutters, seeing just who you were. "'ow did I end up wit' you of all trolls? W'at 'appened to my unit?"

"It looks like your fever has started to go down." You say, pointedly ignoring her questions and comments. "You've been out for a couple weeks. You were more lucid in the beginning, but you've been fighting a nasty infection for the past perigee. Your companions are dead, or fled. Mostly dead though,"

"w'at 'appened?" She breathed and you decide that her accent may frustrate you into killing her the rest of the way.

"We were overrun," you say simply. "I got lost from your military unit when we came to Certrel. I found your ass floating in the harbor. They thought you dead. The other three were very much dead. You were poisoned. That was two perigee ago. We've been in Certrel for half a sweep. You'd have to fill me in on what happened in that ten perigee I was out of touch. I looked everywhere for your unit and couldn't find any of you." You glance over Tidewave, taking out a small dagger and setting it near her. "You aren't in good enough condition to fight, let alone sit up." There's a bitterness in your voice as you talk. Maybe you should have let her die. All you could imagine was the green blood of your moirail from the dagger in his ribs.

Tidewave ignores you, struggling to sit up and grabs the dagger. "W'at's t'is?" She asks, grunting in pain but managing to prop herself up.

"The dagger you killed my moirail with." You shrug. "Used it to bleed the poison out of your gills. Figured that was enough payment and pain. We have backup coming in a day, maybe sooner, depending. But we had to survive in order for me ta get a message out and you were in bad enough shape I couldn't risk leaving until recently."

"And us staying in this room is not an option? We can wait 'ere." She asks, glaring at you.

"For me, no. For you, maybe." You shrug. "You're too clean cut to stand out as anything but military. You leave this room, you may get jumped. Trust me, it's not pretty what they do to trolls associated with the new empress here."

"'ow did I get in 'ere in the first place?"

"I don't want to talk about it." You reply, feeling your blood boil at the thought of what you had to do in order to get her in here. "I got a good lead on who's running the rebellion. But they do think you're dead. As I said before, you are in too poor of a condition to fight and need an actual medic to look you over."

"'ow is your face not recognized as a t'res'ecutioner?" Tidewave's voice is low as she speaks and you are thankful for that. The walls are thin and you had spent too long cultivating an image you could use. The seadwellers on the dock and that came in and out of the inn would be more willing to go after your blood than you were comfortable to admit if they knew of your connections.

The last half sweep had taught you to be careful of saying who you were. You felt like you were living back as a wriggler. Being careful and staying out of sight of other seadwellers and, more specifically, adults so you weren't forced to go into the water. Even now, you can feel your chest tighten at the thought of being so near water. The darkness, the cold, sweeping over you and tugging you to the depths below. You shudder, your arms wrapped tight around your chest.

"'ey, 'ey!" Tidewave claps her hands in front of your face and you look at her. She's pale, her breath laborious as she tries to move closer to you. You're not even sure when she managed, or how she managed, to stand and hobble over to you.

"Lay back down!" You snap, watching Tidewave take a step back. You move to steady her, sitting her back on the couch with a grunt. "While you were out, I got a message to the capital. They should be here in... Either tonight or tomorrow. You were poisoned with a small stick dart when you were attacked. I had to get it out of you otherwise you would have died. They cut up your gills pretty badly too. Probably will scar, won't make it easy... Anyway, had to bleed the poison out and stitch you up... Hence the pain in your side in three....two....one...."

Tidewave doubled over, eyes widening as she felt the pain roll over her. You heave a sigh, forcing Tidewave to sit back down on the couch. "What...the 'ell?" Tidewave moves up the spare shirt you had put her in, looking at the cut along her gills.

"I am sorry that I could not save anyone else." You add, looking at her. And you're surprised that what you say is actually true. Those had been Tidewave's friends that had died out in the harbor. And you had almost decided to not go after Tidewave because you simply didn't want to get into the water.

"And t'is our pat'etic excuse for patching me up?" Tidewave seeths and you know it's the pain that's making her grouchy. But it still makes you angry nonetheless.

"Sorry, I am not that skilled in stitches." You say. Tidewave lays back down, closing her eyes. "I am going to step downstairs, will you be okay sitting up here? You were like, more than halfway to death. I can bring you back soup or something... I have been making sure you got water and soup so you didn't starve." Not that it would have taken such a short time to starve a seadweller.

You don't wait for Tidewave to respond, walking out of the block and making sure the door was completely shut. You stamp down the anger you feel as you walk, planning on heading to the small food stall a couple of streets down from the inn. You glance up when you see a ship pull into the harbor, delaying your quest for food and heading to the dock instead.

You're wearing a dirty shirt and a jacket over it. You had put aside your threshecutioner uniform the moment you stepped into Certrel and realized how seadweller centric the port town was. You watch the ship and are relieved when you see two seadwellers step up. You move closer to them, seeing several of the trolls looking for work around the dock fade into the shadows.

You could sense the danger on the air. It lay thick, the tension heavy.

"Hey, need any deck hands?" You call, moving closer as you see Merc step off the boat and scoot into the shadows. You are relieved that you see several other fellow threshecutioners disperse without bringing notice to themselves.

"No," one of the seadweller says, looking you up and down and you meet his gaze, jaw set. You step into an alleyway as the owner of the dock strides forward. No need to get him angry at you today.

"The dock's closed, you ain't gonna be docking that ship here." He spits and you watching the female seadweller offer him a small smile.

"Otter whose orders?" The female asks, voice pleasant as she lets her gaze, the color covered by a pair of tinted goggles, rest on the troll.

"Mine own," he sniffs. "I own this here dock and you ain't be setting anchor here."

"Why not?" The male seadweller inquires, voice offering you a glimpse at his wavering accent.

"Because I say you ain't be putting anchor here." The man snaps and you roll your eyes, slouching against the wall to watch the preceding argument.

"Under what law do you own this dock?" The female seadweller inquires. "I thought all docks and sea ports were public property of her Benevolent Radiance, the Empress?"

"Under mine own law," the troll snorts. "I ain't gonna follow that bitch even if it costs mine life."

"Water your suggesfins?" The female asks the male next to her and you straighten as you feel a hand on your shoulder, eyes darting to Merc and nodding at her presence.

"I think," he muses, "that they would be singing a different tuna if they trout things through."

"Ohhh, I pike your choice of fish puns." The female giggles and you restrain rolling your eyes.

"I suppose this is a good opurtunaty to flounder them about." The male says and the female giggles, clapping her hands.

"You should have seen them at each other's throats on the boat." Merc giggles and you nod. Before leaving for Certrel, you had stumbled across them arguing in the hall and the Mediator had swooped in, chewing out their asses.

"What's the plan?" You ask, leaving the two seadwellers to deal with the dock owner.

"I'm to help you get Tidewave on the boat. The Caregiver is onboard to offer what first aide she can shoal out. The others are on the ground, sniffing out the resistance and all that carp." Merc snickers.

"Don't tell me you're on the fish puns too?" You ask and Merc flashes you a smile.

"Nah, that was just for the halibut." She nudges you and you resist the urge to roll your eyes. "Sorry, I'm to shelp, I've just been so...overwhelmed with fish puns."

"I'll forgive you if you stop." You suggest. You touch Merc's shoulder, amazed at how calm the young brown blood is as you begin to lead the way to the Broken Fang. Before heading inside, you take off your jacket, throwing it over Merc's shoulders and steering her up the stairs before anyone in the common block can say anything. You open the door only a small bit, Merc slipping in and you follow.

"W'at the 'ell?" Tidewave pushes herself up on the couch and you offer her a soft hiss.

"You're going to pull stitches if you keep going that way." You snap, your patience at the end of its rope.

"W'at are t'ey doing 'ere?" Tidewave asks, gaze landing on Merc. "W'o are t'ey?"

"Merceful, fellow threshecutioner of Windwept." Merc responds, her hair falling in her face as she tips her head to study Tidewave. You had seen Lichlenn use the same motion, almost like a lusus looking after a wriggler to assess their hurts. At that, you had to laugh, Tidewave shooting you a glare unsure of what you found so funny.

"Hang out with Lichlenn any more and he may have you chasing after stray wrigglers," you say, nudging Merc with your foot.

"Oh geez, he has me doing the head tipping thing now too." Merc says, flopping down on the floor, careful to not hit her horns as she did so.

"W'at's t'e plan?" Tidewave asks, ignoring your continued protests for her to remain lying down as she sits up, cold gaze trained on you and Merc.

"Is it a speech impediment that you can't pronounce your h's?" Merc inquires, not bothering to aim the question at Tidewave.

"Yes," Tidewave sniffs. "It's a sore subject. Now, answer my question....please,"

"To be honest, I don't have much of a plan." Merc grins. "I was told to find you and Windwept. I did that. Now I'm here. Ohhh, I could-" She doesn't bother finishing her statement, pulling out her palmhusk and sending someone a message.

"Who all came?" You ask, sitting down next to Tidewave.

"The Mediator, the Wanderer, the Cryptonic, Mirthles, Sealfurs, Lichlenn, the Caregiver, and...obviously the Magician and Empress herself. You saw the two of them arguing with that seawad on the docks." Merc says and you hear Tidewave let out a low whistle. "The other minor rebellions have been settled. Certrel is the last holdout and the Mediator wanted to deal with it personally. And the others agreed. They tried and publicly culled the troll that set fire to the brooding caverns."

"She wants to be peaceful, but her first few sweeps will be blood soaked to get there." You whistle, amazed at how calm the empress had seen just moments before.

"T'at's 'alf of t'e original rebellion against t'e Condesce," Tidewave says, eyes wide and fins flared. "Damn, I'm a failure for not dealing wit' t'is on my own."

"When we landed, I told you that it would take too long." You grumble, mostly to yourself but you see Tidewave give you a glare. She had heard what you had meant to say internally. "What are their plans, if your job was simply to find us?"

"The Empress thinks that she would simply burn the place if need be." Merc admits and you hear Tidewave gasp. "The others hit the ground to look into what's going on. You did a great job at letting yourself be seen. It made this a lot easier. Now, the task is getting the grumpy seadweller to the ship...."

You shiver at the words, closing your eyes but nodding in agreement. You wouldn't think of a place more befitting to burn to the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

You stare at the dock "master" in disgust, letting your gaze slide to Eridan before you look back at the man with a small smile. "I'll give you one chance to tell me who is heading the currently highblood rebellion in Certrel." you say, voice soft as you walk towards the man.

"I don't know nothin about no rebellion," he says and spits at your feet.

"You know, I don't think he's worth our time," Eridan comments and you glance at him, fighting back the frustration you feel. "Doesn't seem to know much that'll help us."

"No, he's not. But if we could get any information from him...." You say, hoping it wouldn't end in bloodshed.

"There is one thing your ancestor failed to do. Ripping a rebellion out at its roots, before it got a chance to flourish. You want to forge a new Alternia, you have to remember that. Think back on the Signless and how it later influenced the Summoner." Eridan says and you nod.

"I would still strive to avoid pointless bloodshed." You say and take a step back as the dock master comes towards you. You turn, your trident in hand. "Being a pacifisht is knowing when to spare a life when you can, and culling when you can't."

The troll takes a step back, eyes wide when he sees your trident. "I-the-there is-" He stammers before he collapses on the ground, a small hole in his chest from Eridan's gun. You feel yourself break as you walk past, the dock clear. Karkat and Aradia come from the ship, Karkat letting out a soft curse.

"Let's find the inn that your threshecutioner is in Karkrab," you say, feeling the pain of the troll's death. You don't want to linger any longer than you absolutely must.

"The Broken Fang," he says, glancing at the mess before finding someone that hadn't run soon enough. "Can you point me the way to The Broken Fang?" He demands.

The young seadweller looks at you in horror, raising a shaking hand. "Third street down, on the corner. The sign is a fang broken in half. No words on the building," they scurry away upon giving you this information, and you shake your head but follow the directions the troll gave.

The inn is strangely quiet when you step in, the patrons looking up at you before scattering like insects. You roll your eyes as Karkat walks over to the troll at the counter. "I'm looking for a seadweller, possibly under the name Winsel Delmon. Can you point me to her room?"

"Room numbers are confidential," the keep says, looking at Karkat. "Especially for lowblood idiots like yourself."

"Wow, your words hurt me so much." Karkat says, voice heavy with sarcasm and Eridan walks over.

"And what about seadwellers? We're here to claim something of ours," he growls.

"If they say it's conchafishal, then I guess there's nothing we can do." You say, leaning on your trident and smiling at the keep. "Why don't you run along and go knocking on every block door?" You suggest to Karkat.

"We don't have anyone under the last name Delmon," the keep protests, moving from behind the counter. "I will not let you up those stairs lowblood."

"Geez, and there's no rebellion in Certrel," Karkat snorts and Eridan rolls his eyes.

"We don't have time for this." You say, voice ever patient. "Let my frond go up and check it out. He won't be long."

"I-" the innkeeper says, only to be met by the point of Eridan's rifle.

"You don't have to threaten the troll!" You protest, though inside you want to growl in frustration.

"Glub it all, he won't be getting anywhere at the rate you're going!" Eridan snaps.

"Oh my fucking god, shut your traps you fishsticks!" Karkat snaps and you begin to count out ten in and out breaths, Eridan doing the same but not moving the point of his gun.

"Go check upstairs," you say, deciding to avoid another pointless argument. There had been too many on the ship and it had gotten you nowhere. Karkat's off and you stare at the man behind the front desk. "What can you tell me about the rebellion?" You ask.

"What's it to you?" He seethes.

"Can I just shoot him?" Eridan asks and you shake your head.

"I've heard tell of a rebellion growing in Certrel. I'm here to make sure it doesn't go beyond a small fish's tale." You say, a smile on your features. "Now, you can tell me where the heads of the rebellion meet, or your fine establishment is going to have several holes in it."

"They meet here, every other night." The troll stammers, eyes wide as Eridan lets the tip of his gun rest on his chest. "T-they have a meeting tonight."

"Anyfin else?" You ask, leaning against your trident.

"W-why do you care?" The innkeeper asks, eyes wide.

"Because, I don't want my empire to be plagued by rebellions." You say simply. "And I, if I learned anything... If I do not cut it out at its roots, it will keep growing and growing, until there is nothing but anger consuming their own selves and everyfin they ever do. And this rebellion will not succeed. Trust me,"

"And why should I trust you?" The inn keeper snarls.

"Because, I'm the empress." You say and smile as the troll gaps at you, truly taking you in for the first time since you walked into the inn.

***

It's nearing early morning and your group is spread out. The threshecutioners are looking over their shoulders as you pace in the main block. The inn keeper had left, leaving you and your crew to deal with the upon rebellion meeting. Mirthles looks up from her slouched position behind the counter. She smiles, resting her cheek against her hand.

Feferi is sitting at a table with Windwept, gathering all the details that she had filled you on before you had let her come down. Merc and Kanaya had taken Tidewave to the ship, Kanaya deciding it would be easier to treat her somewhere there wasn't going to be a fight. You walk over to Sollux, taking the empty seat next to him.

"How's Windwept?" Sollux asks.

"She's fine, maybe a little overwhelmed, but she's not dead. Eridan threw a fit when he found out that his unit was almost entirely dead. Tidewave took it in stride. He wanted to go with her, but Feferi insisted Eridan was needed here." You explain, pillowing your arms on the table and resting your head on them. "How'd the date go with Aradia?"

"For being crammed on a boat, it went well." Sollux says with a small smile. "Someone's coming in."

You straighten as you see several seadwellers make their way into the inn block, pausing to look at your scattered group before one troll steps forward.

"This place is on lock down, you need to get your asses out." He snaps, his horns chipped.

"I'm sorry, are we interrupting somefin?" Feferi asks, voice polite. "See, I shoal-ed you that we shouldn't have stayed here."

"Who do you think you are? What are you even doing here?" Another seadweller asks and you hear Mirthles let out a giggle from her spot behind the counter.

"Water we doing here?" Feferi asks. "I trout we were talking to the rebellion against the empress."

"We ain't no lowblood fucking rebellion." The troll snorts. "We are the highest of caliber. We seek merely to return the social standing to the way it was. No room for fucking weaklings in our society."

"How many sweeps do you have?" Feferi asks, standing and walking over to him.

"Excuse me?" The troll asks, taking a step back as the approaching female seadweller drew closer.

"Answer the question," she suggests, voice sweet.

You watch on as the seadweller shakes his head. "Nearly fifteen hundred sweeps."

"About seven hundred sweeps before I was hatched, there was a rebellion ran by a troll named the Summoner. Do you remember him?" Feferi inquires.

"The lowblood rebellion," he nods. "I was in the fight against them. They all deserved to die," He says proudly and you want to silence the troll right there. Sollux reaches over, touching your hand.

"Before the Summoner came the Signless, a mutant. One who should not have survived. But a kind hearted troll took him in. I'll spare you the details. They would be wasted on you. My main point is the Summoner's rebellion. When he rebelled, my ancestor cast out all adult trolls from Alternia. You spent eight hundred of your sweeps on Alternia. The only thing we have to go back to is senseless culling and mindless fighting. There is nothing left in the past. I am here to put down the rebellion before it grows into something more. So, will you continue this pointless rebellion and sacrifice your life? Or will you step aside and realize that we as a whole need reform?" Feferi asks, trident in hand.

"Fuck you," the seadweller says and all hell breaks lose.

***

You stand on the ship of the deck, watching for any sign of your companions. You glance at the midday sun, knowing they wouldn't chance returning in the middle of the day. But you're so restless, not hearing anything all. In one of the blocks, you can hear a troll groan. Your charge pulls you out of your thoughts and hurry back into the dark of the cabin blocks.

"W'at..." Tidewave stares and you nod at her.

"Good afternoon Tidewave, you are currently on The Magician's ship. We are making sure you recover fully and you will be under the excellent care of professional medic trolls as soon as we return to the capital. How are you feeling?" You ask.

"W'o are you?" Tidewave asks.

"Pardon, my name is the Caregiver. I am the empress's matesprit." You offer Tidewave a small bow, a smile on your face.

"Lovely," Tidewave groans and you hear feet hit the deck. You turn, leaving the block to look at the ragged group. You count everyone but... Karkat is snapping out orders and you see them rush into the larger block. You follow them, catching Eridan near the back of the group.

"What happened?" You ask, stopping Eridan when they were safely inside.

"There was a fight. We culled the rebellion, none is left. The threshecutioner Kar had stationed here is hurt. It doesn't look good." Eridan says, voice grim.

You push past him, hurrying to where Karkat was laying the seadweller out on a couch. You such in a breath, looking at the gashes along her body. Behind you, you can hear the labored breathing of Tidewave making her way into the block.

"Damn it, you weren't suppose to die." Tidewave hisses, using the entryway to support herself. You take a position in front of Windwept, shaking your head slowly.

"There's nothing I can do," you say and Karkat takes in a breath.

"What do you mean there's nothing you can do?" He demands, and you see Sollux tugging him back. "She's dying! Do something!"

"I'm sorry," Windwept says, looking up at Karkat and offering him a smile. "It was good....I...thank you, for letting me serve." She whispers and you see her eyelids shut, her chest stilling and you turn and begin leading Tidewave back to her room, the seadweller fighting with you every step.

"Damn it, let me say goodbye," she hisses and you let her go.

"We head back to the capital now," Feferi says. Her voice is hollow and you already see Aradia come up and lead her off. Eridan takes Tidewave back when she finishes a goodbye to the troll that saved her life. You watch your quadrant mate a moment longer before leaving him in Sollux's capable hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked Windwept.
> 
> That's the way the cookie crumbles.

**Author's Note:**

> Quick note on the ships:
> 
> Eridan c3< Karkat c3< Feferi  
> Karkat <> Sollux  
> Eridan <> Gamzee  
> Eridan <3< Sollux  
> Karkat <3< Kanaya  
> Karkat <3 Gamzee  
> Kanaya <3 Feferi
> 
> That should be it for this subsection. If it gets confusing, just let me know?


End file.
